Cafes offer a welcoming environment to work, relax, and connect with people. While smaller, family-owned cafes have their charm, Starbucks provides a convenient option for those adhering to specific dietary plans like paleo. With its speedy internet connection and customizable drink options, Starbucks can cater to paleo, AIP, and keto diets. Adapting to new habits while letting go of old ones can be challenging when following a specific diet plan. Starbucks, known for its rich and sugary beverages, requires a mindful approach to navigate its menu. Simply opting for sugar-free options isn't always the best solution, as these often contain artificial sweeteners that are not paleo or keto-friendly.
Understanding Paleo Diet Basics
A paleo diet seeks to replicate the eating habits of our ancestors, excluding grains, legumes, dairy products, refined sugar, added salt, starchy vegetables, and highly processed foods. Paleo-friendly choices include lean meats, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oils derived from fruits and nuts.
Decoding Sugar-Free at Starbucks
It's crucial to understand that "sugar-free" doesn't automatically equate to healthy. Starbucks' sugar-free syrups contain Splenda, which includes sucralose and maltodextrin, both unsuitable for paleo and keto diets due to their artificial nature. When consuming sugar on these diets, prioritizing natural alternatives is key.
Paleo-Friendly Starbucks Beverages
Despite the limitations, a variety of paleo-friendly options exist at Starbucks. You can enjoy almost any Starbucks coffee or tea black or unsweetened.
Hot Options:
- Brewed coffee
- Espresso
- Americano
- Most teas (ensure they are unsweetened)
Cold Options:
- Iced coffee
- Cold brew
- Iced tea (unsweetened)
Modifications and Considerations
- Dairy Alternatives: Starbucks' coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk are not paleo-friendly due to added sugar and other ingredients.
- Sugar-Free Syrups: Avoid sugar-free syrups, as they contain artificial sweeteners.
- Black Coffee: A simple cup of brewed coffee contains only 5 calories.
- Tea: Starbucks' teas are the ultimate zero-calorie options.
Paleo-Unfriendly Ingredients at Starbucks
Unfortunately, many popular Starbucks items are off-limits due to dairy and/or sugar content. All of Starbucks' plant-based milk alternatives include added sugar as well, so you won’t be able to substitute the dairy for a paleo-friendly milk.
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Starbucks Food Options for Paleo Dieters
Finding paleo-friendly food at Starbucks can be tricky due to the prevalence of sugar, dairy, and additives. One option is the Eggs & Cheddar Protein Box, but to make it paleo-friendly, consume only the hard-boiled eggs, apples, and grapes, and remove the cheddar and multigrain muesli bread.
Creative Paleo Choices
Sticking to a paleo diet shouldn't limit your ability to enjoy Starbucks. It encourages creativity and a focus on wholesome options. Both diets offer a substantial list of drink options and allow for the development of a more wholesome palate.
Low-Calorie Starbucks Options (with Paleo Modifications)
It's possible to enjoy low-calorie Starbucks drinks while adhering to paleo principles. Here are some ideas, keeping in mind the necessary modifications:
- Americano: Each shot of espresso has just 15 calories.
- Brewed Coffee: A simple cup of brewed coffee contains only 5 calories.
- Iced Coffee: Start with plain brewed coffee, add some ice, and you've created a cool, refreshing drink with just 5 calories.
- Nitrogen Cold Brew: Infused with nitrogen, this brew is naturally sweet and creamy even without additives and just 5 calories when served black.
- Starbucks Teas: Naturally calorie-free unless you add syrup.
General Tips for Paleo at Starbucks
- Order drinks black or unsweetened.
- Avoid dairy and sugar substitutes.
- Focus on whole, unprocessed ingredients.
Paleo Fast Food Alternatives
If you're looking for paleo-friendly options beyond Starbucks, several fast-food chains offer choices that can be modified to fit the diet:
- Chick-fil-A: Opt for grilled nuggets.
- Shake Shack: Modify the Avocado Bacon Burger by removing the cheese and ShackSauce, and order a lettuce wrap sans bun.
- Chipotle: The Paleo Bowl combines lettuce, chicken, fajita veggies, tomatillo-green salsa, and guac.
- In-N-Out: Order a burger protein style (lettuce-wrapped) and avoid the restaurant's signature spread.
- Sweetgreen: Order a custom bowl with a lettuce base, skip the grains, load up on veggies, add meat (avoid parmesan cheese crisps), and forgo the dressing.
- El Pollo Loco: Order the Keto Burrito without cheese or dressing and undo the burrito to create a bowl, or order the Double Chicken Avocado Salad.
- Panera Bread: Grab a Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken, but remove the pecans, oranges, and dressing.
- CAVA: Create a paleo-friendly salad with a lettuce base, skip the dips and spreads, choose your protein (other than the falafel), and be selective with toppings.
- Jimmy John's: Order an Unwich Beach Club without cheese and mayo.
- Taco Bell: Order the power bowl, substitute the lettuce for rice, and remove the sour cream, cheese, beans, and avocado ranch sauce. Add chicken, jalapeños, and onions.
- Five Guys: Order a classic hamburger protein style, skip the condiments, and stick with lots of veggies.
- Wendy's: Order Wendy's Southwest Avocado Salad, but remove the cheese and dressing.
- McDonald's: Opt for a plain hamburger lettuce-wrapped, aka no bun.
- Burger King: Get your burger protein style (aka, wrapped in iceberg lettuce), and remove the pickles, mustard, and ketchup. Add tomatoes and onions.
- Jack in the Box: Order Jack's Teriyaki Chicken Bowl, but you will have to remove the rice to comply with the paleo diet. Ask for no sauce and to add additional vegetables to replace the rice for a filling and low-carb meal.
Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites
Starting in early 2018, Starbucks Canada added a new paleo/ketogenic friendly fast food option to satisfy our cravings for a quick and easy healthy breakfast. Meet “Sous Vide Egg Bites“, Starbuck’s response to customers’ requests for non-wheat based menu options. These perfectly cooked cage-free eggs prepared as Egg Bites were first introduced to the US market in early 2017 and were a tremendous hit with their customers. Sous vide cooking (pronounced “sue-veed”) is a special cooking method using a water bath held at precisely controlled temperatures to cook food evenly and retain flavours. Sous-vide by itself translates as “under vacuum” in French, which is a reference to vacuum-sealing the food while immersing and cooking it in hot water. This is also a preferred method of cooking because it doesn’t require extra harmful fats and oils. One thing for sure, you never have to worry about eating an overcooked Egg Bite, as Sous Vide enables a level of control over a food’s texture that no other cooking method can provide. Starbucks offers two very affordable Egg Bite options, costing $4.75 CAD for a pair ($2.37 CAD each) that comes served on a thick recyclable paper tray. A couple of days ago I had the pleasant surprise of being treated to the “Bacon & Gruyere” Egg Bite. This non-vegetarian option was bursting with flavour because it’s made with aged Gruyere and Monterey Jack cheese topped with Applewood smoked bacon. The other Egg Bite (Which I haven’t tasted but am eager to try) is the “Egg White & Red Pepper” vegetarian version. The only drawback of ordering these Egg Bites is that they are extremely hot when served, making it necessary to wait quite a while until they cool down. The reason for this is because Starbucks has opted to cook the sous vide egg bites in advance, freeze them, and then later reheat them to the exact same temperature without compromising the quality or texture!
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